16th March 1814 – Battle of Mongladbach (3)

 

Mongladbach Campaign Area

3 French          move to E06 on engage            arrive move 1

9 French          move to D04 on engage            on table

21 French        hold Mongladbach                    arrive move 1

1 Prussian        attack Mongladbach                 arrive move 5

2 Prussian        attack Mongladbach                 arrive move 1

3 Prussian        attack Mongladbach                 arrive move 5

4 Prussian        attack Mongladbach                 arrive move 1

French                                     Prussian                     

Infantry - 31600                      infantry – 54400

cavalryn- 3000                        cavalry - 4000 

guns - 87                                 guns - 117

Notes

9700 Prussians are absent due to garrison duties and battle casualties

8200 French are absent due to garrison duties and battle casualties

Table at start of wargame

2^nd and 4^th Prussian corps arrive start of move 1

1^st and 3^rd Prussian corps arrive at start of move 5

9^th French corps arrive at start of move 1

Move 1 – 0800 to 0900

9^th French-arrive on table, artillery unlimber

21^st French-wait to see what enemy do

Prussian cinc-change 2^nd corps orders to “move north of hill”

French cinc-move to join 9^th corps

4^th Prussian-arrive on table

2^nd Prussian-arrive on table

3^rd French-move towards bridge

Move 2 – 0900 to 1000

2^nd Prussian-continue to advance

4^th Prussian-start to deploy

French cinc-change 9^th corps orders to “move to town by stone bridge”

21^st French-cavalry charge Prussian dragoons, win melee, Prussians rout with 10% casualties

Prussian cinc-change 2^nd corps orders to “Engage”

9^th French-artillery fire on gunners, no casualties

3^rd French-continue to advance

Move 3 – 1000 to 1100

9^TH French-artillery fire on gunners, no casualties

2^nd Prussian-continue to advance

3^rd French-continue to advance

21^st French-order cavalry to rejoin corps

4^th Prussian-continue to advance

Prussian cinc-move to join 1^st corps (off table)

French cinc-move t o join 3^rd corps

Move 4 – 1100 to 1200

9^th French-continue to advance

French cinc-change 3^rd corps orders “Hold from town to river”

4^th Prussian-artillery unlimber, corps advance, cavalry rout off table

2^nd Prussian-continue to advance

3^rd French-cavalry charge cavalry, win melee, Prussians retire 8” shaken

Prussian cinc-order 1^st corps “move towards town on road”

21^st French-cavalry return to corps

Move 5 – 1200 to 1300

4^th Prussian-artillery fire on town (left), no casualties

21^st French-artillery fire on cavalry, no casualties

9^th French-continue to advance

1^st Prussian-arrive on table

2^nd Prussian-continue to advance

French cinc-no orders

3^rd Prussian-arrive on table

Prussian cinc-move to join 4^th corps

3^rd French-artillery fire on infantry, no casualties

Move 6 – 1300 to 1400

1^st Prussian-continue to advance

Prussian cinc-change 4^th corps orders “Engage town”

9^th French-artillery fire on cavalry, no casualties

4^th Prussian-artillery fire on town (left), 10% casualties, garrison pass morale test

2^nd Prussian-artillery fire on cavalry, no casualties

3^rd French-artillery fire on infantry, no casualties

French cinc-change 9^th corps orders “Hold between town and bridge”

3^rd Prussian-continue to advance

21^st French-artillery fire on gunners, no casualties

Move 7 – 1400 to 1500

2^nd Prussian-artillery fire on infantry, 10% casualties, pass morale test

Prussian cinc-change 3 corps orders to “Engage”

French cinc-change 9 corps orders to “Hold”

21^st French-artillery fire on gunners, no casualties

3^rd Prussian-artillery fire on gunners, no casualties

3^rd Prussian-hussars charge cuirassiers, draw, both disordered

9^th French-artillery fire on infantry, no casualties

1^st Prussian-advance towards town, artillery unlimber

4^th Prussian-artillery fire on town (right), no casualties

Move 8 – 1500 to 1600

9^th French-rally cavalry and move artillery closer to bridge

French cinc-no orders

Prussian cinc-change 1 corps orders to “Attack town”

21^st  French-artillery fire on gunners, no casualties

1^st Prussian-artillery fire on town (right), 10% casualties, fail morale and Shaken

1^st Prussian-infantry skirmish town (right), 20% casualties, fail morale and Rout

1^st Prussian-town garrison (left) test morale for rout, fail and are Shaken

2^nd Prussian-artillery fire on infantry, no casualties

3^rd Prussian-advance towards bridge, cavalry fail morale and continue to rout

4^th Prussian-artillery fire on town (left), no casualties

4^th Prussian-infantry skirmish town (right), 30% casualties continue to rout

Prussian attack Mongladbach

21^st French corps hold the town.

24 infantry brigade hold the right hand section

23 infantry brigade hold the left hand section

1^st and 4^th Prussian corps attack the town

Artillery from both corps have bombarded the town

Four infantry brigades now skirmish the town

23 brigade (right) has suffered 30% casualties and is in rout

24 brigade (left) has suffered 10% casualties and are shaken

The Prussians are about to storm the town

Move 9 – 1600 to 1700

1^st Prussian-change orders to “Halt” to leave town to 4^th corps

French cinc-no orders

4^th Prussian-artillery fire on town (left), 20% casualties, pass morale and hold

4^th Prussian-infantry occupy town (right) and skirmish town (left)

21^st French-artillery fire on gunners, no casualties

Prussian cinc- change 1 corps orders to “engage enemy north of town”

2^nd Prussian-artillery fire on infantry, 20% casualties, fail morale and rout

2^nd Prussian-nearby French gunners test morale for rout, fail and are shaken

9^th French-artillery unlimber

3^rd Prussian- advance towards bridge, rally routed cavalry to shaken

3^rd French-artillery fire on infantry, 20% casualties, fail morale and rout

Move 10 – 1700 to 1800

French cinc-no orders

2^nd Prussian-cavalry charge gunners, receive 20% casualties, fail morale and rout

1^st Prussian-advance towards centre

4^th Prussian- artillery fire on town (left), 30% casualties, pass morale and hold

4^th Prussian-infantry skirmish town (left), 50% casualties, fail morale and rout

3^rd Prussian-artillery fire on gunners, 10% casualties, fail morale and shaken

21^st French-artillery and nearby infantry fail morale and rout

3^rd French-artillery fire on infantry, 10% casualties, fail morale and shaken

Prussian cinc- change 1 corps orders to “Attack”

9^th French-gunners fail morale and remain shaken

Note – the situation is now grim for the French.   They have lost both sections of the town, and are fighting with their backs to the river.   They are outnumbered four to three, and their centre has started to break and rout.   Retreat is impossible until nightfall, which is still two hours away.

Move 11 – 1800 to 1900

3^rd French-artillery fire on infantry, no casualties

3^rd Prussian-infantry fire on cavalry, 10% casualties, cavalry pass morale test

9^th French-cavalry charge infantry, 20% casualties, infantry retire shaken

9^th French-infantry firefight, 20% casualties, both sides pass morale test

9^th French-gunners fail morale test for shaken and rout

1^st Prussian-cavalry charge gunners, who evade to square

2^nd Prussian-change orders from Engage to Halt (3 infantry brigades in rout)

21^st French-gunners rally (3 infantry brigades in rout)

4^th Prussian-advance through town

Prussian cinc-change 2 corps orders to (Hold)

French cinc-no orders

Move 12 – 1900 to 2000

1^st Prussian-cavalry charge infantry, 30% casualties, infantry rout

1^st Prussian-cavalry lose morale and charge nearby square, 30% casualties and join rout

Prussian cinc-no orders

2^nd Prussian infantry firefight, French lose 30% casualties and rout into cavalry who join rout

9^th French-infantry firefight, Prussian lose 30% casualties and rout

9^th French-cuirassiers charge hussars, melee is a draw, both disordered

21^st French- shaken cavalry rally (3 infantry brigades and gunners in rout)

3^rd Prussian-hussars lose melee against cuirassiers and retire shaken

4^th Prussian-continue to advance through town

3^rd French-shaken cavalry fail morale test and rout

French Surrender

The French have been forced to retreat into a bend of the river.

Both bridges are under attack and cannot be used to retreat

The French continue to counter attack until nightfall

Macdonald then orders his men to surrender

Game Casualties

French lose 7200 infantry, 100 cavalry and 87 guns

Prussians lose 4800 infantry and 400 cavalry

Game Summary

The French were not aware of the odds against them when they decided to fight.

To hold the town all three corps had to fight east of the river

They then had to win to avoid surrender

The French fought well, and inflicted heavy casualties on the Prussians

However the odds told at the end

With no retreat option they would have to fight a second day

Having suffered more casualties, and lost all of their artillery, this was no real option

MacDonald took the right decision to surrender

Total casualties at the end of this battle

French 7300 casualties and ten brigades in rout

Prussian 5200 casualties and five brigades in rout